Two Oak Brook Academy plays to raise funds for mitochondrial disease

The Oak Brook Academy of Music & Art will be raising funds and awareness of a disease that has nearly crippled one of their own.

Three years ago, Julia Moberly was a vibrant 11-year-old student of acting and voice at the Academy when she was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disease. The group of related metabolic diseases causes cell injury to its victims and sometimes death. In the past three years, Julia has suffered innumerable localized seizures, been hospitalized several times and lost much of her ability to move her limbs and speak.

(From left) Dan Cassin of Clarendon Hills, Ashley Heaney of Villa Park, Chris Anderson of Clarendon Hills and Julia Moberly of Hinsdale rehearse for "Into The Woods." SUBMITTED PHOTO

But despite it all, Julia strives to do what she loves best -- acting. Julia and some of her classmates will take the stage for the production "Into The Woods" that plays at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Another fundraising performance will go on before "Into The Woods." The three-act comedy of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20. Both productions will be performed at the Oakbrook Terrace Park District Heritage Building at 1 South 325 Ardmore Ave. in Oakbrook Terrace.

Karen Moberly, Julia's mother, says, "Julia wants people to know that she is still the same person on the inside, even if she now has a hard time saying it."

Julia, who is excited to help in any way she can, says, "I don't want another generation of kids to suffer with this."

Tickets are $10. Call (630) 928-0936. Donations from the two shows will go toward the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation.